Electron-discharge device



. w. F. HENDRY 'ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE f original Filed'Feb. le, 1918Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. HENDRY, OF

x NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COM- IEANY,INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRON-DISCHARGE DEVICE Applicationfiled February16, 1918, Serial No. 217,565. Renewed August 20, 1924.

.This invention relates to electron discharge devices, and moreparticularly to three-electrode vacuum tubes, and-has as an object theimprovement of the 'electrode supporting and electrode structure.

An electron dischargedevice of this type comprises a gas tight vessel inwhich there are usually enclosed a cathode or filament, an anode,usually in the form of a plate, and a grid. In some cases it hashitherto been found convenient to support these electrodes.

' trodes therefrom, thereby obtaining a rigid and Xed organization ofthe electrodes.

This invention will be better understoood by reference to the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Fig. 1 illustrates one form of this invention; Fig. 2 represents amodication thereof; and Fig. 3 shows how this invention may beappliedfor the amplication or repeating of alternating currents.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, 5 is an evacuated vessel shown partlyin perspective and partly in cross-section, containing a double plateelectrode 6, a double grid 7 and a filament 8. .The double plate 6 asshown terminates in a collar 10, which lits snugly around the neck orsquash 11 of the vessel, and is held in place by the glass boss 13. Thedistance between the plates of the electrode 6 is less than the diameterof the collar 10. The plate is therefore securely self-supported withoutthe intermediary of an additional framework or glass standards. ends ofthe two plates and suitably supported thereby is a nest 16 containinginsulation material 17. Through this insulation material passes thesupporting wire 18 for the grid so and the supporting wire 19 for thefilament.

n the upper The grid and iilament are therefore supported through theintermediary of plate 6. The ilament has its ends attached to the twoleading-in wires 21 and 22, which lead to suitable eXternal terminalconnect-ions. The grid 7 has an external circuit connection through leadwire 23. Wire 24, which is preferably welded to the grid at the point 25aids in maintaining the rigidity of the grid, in order that the desiredspace-relation between the electrodes will remain fixed. 27 is the leadwire for the plate. Attached to the lower part of the evacuated vessel 5by the insulation material 32 is a metallicbase or shell 33 carrying theposts 35 (only two shown) to which wires from the various electrodes inthe vessel may be attached. This shell, however, is not a part of thisinvention, but constitutes the subject matter of Patent 1,491,362, ofApril 22, 1924, to H. E. Shreeve.

In order to keep the two plates 6 from buckling, thereby destroying thedesired space relation between the electrodes when the plate becomesheated by current passing between it and the lament 8, it has been foundnecessary to employ means for stiftening the plate. In the drawing, themeans shown consists of horizontal and vertical corrugations o r ridgesin that portion of the plate where buckling is Vliable to occur. Fig. 2shows a modification that may be made in the plate by having part of thecorrugations running diagonally.

The insulation piece 17 may be of any desired material such as glass,lavite or the like. In some respects, however, a block of lavite hasbeen found preferable to a glass bead, in that the lavite can be readilymachined into the shape desired and holes drilled therethrough. In orderto give additional stiffness to the grid and the filament, theirsupporting wires are preferably flattened over the portion passingthrough the insulation material 17, therebylaterally extending the wiresto frictionally engage the inner wall of the apertures in block 17.

Fig. 3 shows how this invention .may be employed to amplify currentsfrom an incoming line 40 and impress them in amplified form upon theoutgoing line 41. Impulses a second electrode and a coming from the line40 through transformer 42 may be impressed on the grid and the tilamentof tube 5, thereby varying the output circuit current flowing betweenthe filament 8 and the anode 6 in accordance with these impulses. Theamplified impulses in the output circuit of the tube may be impressed bytransformer 13 upon any suitable outgoing line 11.

lt is apparent to one skilled in the art that varied modifications maybe made in this invention other than those above described withoutdeparting anywise from the spirit of this invention as defined in theappended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

'1. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vesselcontaining a plurality of spaced electrodes, said device having a neckportion, a support for said electrodes comprising an additionalelectrode partially enclosing said other electrodes and attached to thenecks of said device and a lead in wire for said additional electrodesealed in the neck of said device.

2. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vessel having areentrant neck and having a cathode, a control electrode, and an anode,said anode comprising two plates terminating in a collar resting on saidneck.

3. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vessel having areentrant neck, a cathode, two parallel plates forming the anode of saiddevice and terminating in a collar resting on said neck, andanadditional electrode having a supporting member attached to said anodeby insulating material.

4. An electron discharge device comprising an anode, a cathode and athird electrode, said anode consisting of two corrugated plates, saidthird electrode and said cathode being situated between said plates.

5. In an electron discharge device, a gas tight vessel having a neck, ananode consisting of two parallel plates supported by a collar resting onthe neck of said vessel, and a plurality of additional electrodessituated between said plates.

6. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vessel having aneck, an anode, a cathode and a grid,- said anode consisting of twoparallel plates terminating at one end in a collar resting on the neckof said vessel, insulation material at the other end of said plates andsupported thereby, said grid and lilament being attached to saidinsulation material by supporting members.

7. A vacuum tube containing a cathode,

plurality of separated metallic members integral with said electrode andsupported by a circumferentially complete cylindrical band resting onthe neck of said tube.

8. An electron discharge devicecompris- -lng a gas tight vessel having aconstricted portion and containing a plurality of electrodes, one ofsaid electrodes terminating in a circumferentially complete cylindricalband surrounding said constricted portion of said vessel, and a lead inwire for said last mentioned electrode sealed in said vessel at a pointadjacent the constricted portion thereof.

9. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vessel having atubular neck, a cathode, an electrode comprising two parallel platesterminating in a circumferentially complete cylindrical band resting onsaid neck, the connection between said band and said plates beingcircumferentially incomplete at a point adjacent the inwardly projectingend of said stem.

10. An electron discharge device comprising a gas tight vessel having areentrant tubular portion, an electrode, means contacting with the outersurface of said portion and supporting said electrode, other electrodes.supported by said first electrode and a projection from said tubularportion eX- tcnding into said means.

11. An electron discharge device compris` ing a gas tight vessel, ananode, a cathode and a control electrode, a neck and metallic meanscontacting with said neck for supporting one of said electrodes, saidsupported electrode having opposing portions, the distance between thetwo opposing portions of said last mentioned electrode differingsubstantially from the effective diameter of said neck.

12. An electron discharge device containing an electrode, a block ofinsulating material, a metallic band clamping one side of said blockagainst a surface of said electrode and a second electrode supportedfrom said block.

f h l 13. An electron discharge device comprlsing a gas tight vesselcontaining an electrode, a block of insulating material, a metallic bandsubstantially surrounding the surfaces of said block, which are parallelto the principal axis of said vessel and fastening said block to saidelectrode, and a cathode supported by said block.

14. An electron discharge device comprisinga gas tight vessel having aneck of glasslike material, a plurality of electrodes, and a metallicstandard contacting with the outer surface of said neck and supportingone of said electrodes and an interlocking connection between said neckand said standard for positioning said standard.

15. An electron discharge device comprising a cathode and an anode, saidanode having a Substantially plane surface in a deode, said surfacebeing corrugated to prevent its buckling under heat.

16. A vacuum discharge device comprising an anode, a cathode and acontrol elecnlte space relation with respect to said cathan inte .mentelectrode-supported b trode in the form of a grid, said anode having asubstantially plav e surface in parallel space relation with respect tosaid control electrode and in fixed relation with respect to saidcathode said surface being corrugated to prevent its ucklin under heat,the space relation of t e electrodes is mamtained constant.

17. An electron dischar e device com risin a cathode and an ano e, saidanode aving a substantially plane surface in a definite space relationwith respect to said cathode, said surface being corrugated in twodirections to prevent its buckllng under heat.

18. An electron discharge device comprising several electrodes, acontaining vessel therefor having an inte al inwardly projecting neck,one of sai electrodes having surroun ing said neck, and a lead-in wirefor said last mentioned electrode sealed in said vessel at that end ofsaid vessel having said neck.

19. The combination with a neck, of a plurality of electrode elementssupported at one end thereby, and a block of insulating materialsecuring said elements together into a rigid unitary structure, a hookcarried by said block, means tension on said hook, said hook beingadapte to engagxe onev of said electrodel elements..

20. T e combination with a neck; o a {ilament electrode supported bysaid neck, a -plate supported bysaid neck and bent to extend on oppositesides of said filament, a grid between the filament .and the oppositesides of said plate, and a block of insulating material carried by saidplate and ormin the sole support for the ends of the filament oppositetol that supporte neck. v

2`1. The combination with a neck of a fdament electrode supported bysaid neck, a plate supported -by said neck, a grid positioned betweensaidplate and lament, and a block of insulating material carried by saiplate and forming the sole support for the by the ends of the grid andlament opposite to that supported 'by the neck.

22. The combination with aneck, of a filament electrode supported bysaid neck, a plate supported by said tioned betweenv sai a block saidplate and forming' the sole support for plate and filament, and

that supporte the neck, and means carwhereby al portion thereorlsubstantiallyl for maintaining a sprm.

neck, a grid 'posiof insulating material carried byi free ends of thegrid and filament, a hook carried by said block to engage said filament,and means for maintaining said hook under tension tending to draw saidfilament in a taut position. I

24. An evacuated vessel containing an anode, a grid and iilament, saidgrid being 'intermediate the anode and filament, and a block ofinsulating material supported by the anode and. serving as the solesupport for the -ree ends of the grid and filament.

25. A vacuum tube comprising a press, i

anode, cathode and control electrodes, metallic means onV said press forsupporting sai anode and means on said anode forming the sole supportforthe free ends of said other electrodes.

26.` A vacuum tube comprising a cathode, an anode and a grid, aninsulating member on .said anode and means for supporting said cathodesolely from said insulating member and the neck of the tube.

27. A vacuum tube comprisin Aa cathode, an anode. and a grid, a block oinsulating material secured to the anode, and means for'supporting saidcathode solely from said insulating block and the neck of the tube, thefree end of said grid being also 'secured to said block. i

i 28. A vacuum tube comprising a' grid and a double plate anode,insulation secured to the free ends of the anode plates to space curedto the free end of said insulation to position the grid-, and a membersecured to said insulation,`said member forming, with support Yfor thecathode.

29. A vacuum tube comprising a stem, an anode, a cathode and a gridmounted on the stem. the plates. of .said anode, said id being securedto and held in position y said block, and a hook carried by the underface of said a cathode,

block to suspend the upper end of the cathd. ode. i

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day ofFebruary, A. D.

W. F. HENDRY.

the ends of the {i1-1d and filament opposlte to ried by said-block forholding said filament under tension relative thereto.

23. The combination with a neck, of a lasaid neck, A a plate supportedyby said nec a grid positioned between said plate and filament, and a.block of insulating material carried by said plate and forming the solesupport for the ablock of y the same,\a member segrid and to said theneck of the tube, the solev

